Roma and Everton: European Ambitions Jeopardized by Shared Ownership for 2026-27

A significant predicament is emerging for both Serie A club AS Roma and Premier League side Everton. There's a growing chance that these two clubs could qualify for the same European competition at the end of the 2025-26 season, potentially leading to one of them being barred from participation. This complex situation arises because both teams operate under the same majority ownership.

The Multi-Club Ownership Dilemma for Roma and Everton

Dan Friedkin holds a controlling stake in both football clubs, owning 95.97% of AS Roma's shares and 94.1% of Everton's shares. This extensive influence by a single entity is central to the looming conflict with UEFA regulations.

Currently, both Roma and Everton are actively competing for qualification spots in UEFA tournaments for the 2026-27 season within their respective domestic leagues. Roma is positioned sixth in Serie A, a standing typically sufficient for a Europa League berth. However, the Giallorossi still harbor hopes for a Champions League spot, trailing fourth-placed Como by only three points.

In the Premier League, Everton sits eighth, tied on points with Brentford in seventh. Similar to Roma, the Toffees are also just three points shy of a Champions League position, particularly as the Premier League is anticipated to secure five Champions League entries again for the 2026-27 campaign.

Nevertheless, UEFA's stringent regulations prohibit any individual or legal entity from exercising "decisive influence" over more than one club participating in its elite competitions. This rule is designed to safeguard the integrity of the tournaments and prevent potential conflicts of interest.

Consequently, if both Roma and Everton successfully qualify for the same UEFA competition next season – whether it be the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League – one team would inevitably face demotion to a lower-ranked competition, or in more severe cases, could be entirely excluded from European participation.

A recent precedent for this rule occurred last season. Premier League club Crystal Palace, having won the FA Cup, qualified for the Europa League. However, they were subsequently demoted to the Conference League because they shared ownership with French side Lyon, who had already secured a Europa League spot. This demonstrates UEFA's firm stance on the matter.

Should both Roma and Everton find themselves in this predicament, UEFA's protocol dictates that preference would typically be given to the club that achieved the highest finish in its respective national league. If their league standings offer no clear distinction, the spot would then be allocated to the club whose national football federation holds a higher ranking on the UEFA access list.